diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index 92a7d1b982..8451d96f65 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -103,10 +103,7 @@ publish-runtime:
 	npm publish
 
 publish-cli:
-	cd packages; \
-	node build-cli.js; \
-	cd babel-cli; \
-	npm publish
+	@./tools/publish-cli.sh
 
 bootstrap:
 	npm list --global --depth 1 babel >/dev/null 2>&1 && npm uninstall -g babel || true
diff --git a/tools/publish-cli.sh b/tools/publish-cli.sh
new file mode 100755
index 0000000000..861752c1c8
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tools/publish-cli.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,12 @@
+#!/bin/bash
+
+LAST_TAG=$(git describe $(git rev-list --tags --max-count=1))
+TAG_DIFF=$(git diff $LAST_TAG -- packages/babel-cli/)
+
+if [ -n "$TAG_DIFF" ]; then
+  cd ../packages
+  node build-cli.js
+
+  cd babel-cli
+  npm publish
+fi